Hannah's Long Prayer and the Shortened Years of Samuel

Midrash Shmuel 2:9

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And it came to pass, as she prayed long before the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:12). Rabbi Chiyya in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, and Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta in the name of Rabbi Meir: "And it came to pass, as she prayed long" — from here, whoever prays at length is answered. The teaching of Rabbi Levi is reversed. There Rabbi Abba the son of Rav Pappi and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: "In all toil there is profit, but the talk of the lips tends only to want" (Proverbs 14:23). Hannah, because she prayed long, shortened the days of Samuel, as she said, "and he shall dwell there forever" (1 Samuel 1:22) — and the "world" of the Levites is only fifty years, as it is written, "and from the age of fifty years he shall return from the host of the service" (Numbers 8:25). But behold, they are fifty-two! Rabbi Yose bar Rabbi Avin said: The two are those by which she weaned him.

Themes

PrayerWomenWisdomAdam EveTribes

Biblical References

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